Monthlong Deep Ellum street party transforms heart of neighborhood

A portion of Deep Ellum will get a temporary makeover during Reimagine Crowdus, taking place September 4-October 1.
Photo courtesy of Brad Oldham

In an effort to make a section of Deep Ellum more walkable and give businesses in the area a chance to highlight their products and services, the Deep Ellum Foundation is putting on an experimental event called Reimagine Crowdus​ starting on September 4.

Every day except for Labor Day through October 1 will bring different creative activities that organizers hope will give both visitors and residents a new perspective on Crowdus Street. The three-block-long pedestrian walkway will feature regular local music performances, live art demonstrations, group activities, and more.

A similar, smaller-scale effort called Crowdus Park Pop-Up was done in 2015, shutting down the same stretch for four straight days. For this event, Crowdus will be shut down completely from Indiana Street to Commerce Street through October 2, although the Elm, Main, and Commerce cross streets will not be affected.

Long-term, the organizers hope this experiment will become something more permanent, giving Deep Ellum a gathering space that will allow for more outside events and more walkability. They will take what they learn from these events and put together a proposal to the City of Dallas for a permanent transformation of Crowdus Street into a pedestrian street.

Activities during the month-long event, all of which will be free, include movies from Alamo Drafthouse; a Mavs Sports Court event; and early "holiday" parties such as Friendsgiving, Halloween by Dragon's Ball and DECA, Winter Celebration with Santa, and a New Year's Eve Party. Also, local businesses such as Off the Record, City Surf Fitness, Dallas Comedy House, Deep Ellum Outdoor Market, ArtLoveMagic, and more will host events. For a full list of events, go to reimaginecrowdus.com.